Motion picture camera construction



' P. F. SPERRY arm. 2,322,401 MOTION PICTURE CAMERA CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 10, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet l i a Q N F June 22, 1943.

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June 22, 1943.

P. F. SPERRY ETAL 2,322,401

MOTION PICTURE CAMERA CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 10, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS. J- 62")" endows 61 /'i m Phil/more F June 22, 1943.

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June 22, 1943. p, s ETAL 2,322,401

MOTION PICTURE CAMERA CONSTRUCTION Fil'ed Nov. 10, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 k INVENTORS. P/LLZWZOPG .575 (9? By T/ieodowqs 5.31%: m

June 22, 1943. P, F S ERRY E I 2,322,401

MOTION PICTURE CAMERA CONSTRUCTION A i /L' c2 ef g/ a m 1 fig/6: BY Theodore 62 His Lfl,

Patented June 22, 1943' MOTION PICTURE CAMERA CONSTRUCTION Phllmore F. Sperry and Theodore S. Briskin, Chicago, Ill.; Helen B. Sperry, executrix of the estate of said Sperry, deceased, assignors to Revere Camera Company, Chicago, Ill., a corpol'ation of Delaware Application November 10, 1941, Serial No.-' i18,526

10 Claims.

This invention relates to motion picture cameras of the type in which the film is mounted in the camera in a light-proof magazine provided with a shutter closing the exposure opening at th front face of the magazine. It is the principal object of the invention to provide a new and improved form and arrangement of parts for mounting a magazine in operative position in the camera, for automatically opening the magazine shutter when the magazine is placed in operative position in the camera, for applying a firm pressure on the magazine, for pressing it forwardly into operative position in the camera, and for applying the required pressure on the magazine for releasing the reels for the actuation of the rewinding reel in the magazine.

In the preferred arrangement, a carrier is provided for supporting the magazine in position in the camera casing, such carrier being slidably mounted in the magazine chamber of the camera, the side face of the carrier at which the magazine is inserted into position therein being closed by a pivotally mounted door forming a part of the camera casing. The arrangement is preferably such that the operation of closing the door of the camera serves to press the carrier forwardly so as to bring a magazine therein into operative position in the camera. The arrangement further is such that the operation of opening the door preferably moves the magazine carrier backwardly out of its operative position and releases the magazine from the grip of the carrier .so as toexpedite removal of the magazine. Improved means is also provided. actuated by the forward movement of the carrier into its operative position, for opening the shutter at the front face of the magazine.

It, is another object of the invention to improve devices of this type in sundry details hereinafter pointed out. The preferred means by which the several objects have been attained are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a top plan view of-a camera embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side face view of the camera of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially atthe line 33 of Fig. 2; I

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but with certain of the parts in changed position;

Fig. 5 is a side face View of a film magazine of the type employed in the' camera;

Fig. 6 is a front face view of a fragmentary portion of the magazine of Fig. 5 but'shown on an enlarged scale;

Fig. '7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 but with certain of the parts shown in changed position;

Figs- 8 and 9 are vertical sectional views taken on an enlarged scale at the line 88 and the line 99 respectively of Fig. 3, but with the magazine removed;

Fig. 10 is a horizontal sectional view taken on an enlarged scale at the line l0-.-l0 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a headed guide member as shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. 12 is a vertical sectional view taken on a considerably enlarged scale at the line 12-42 of Fig. 3; i

Fig. 13. is a horizontal sectional viewtaken substantially at the line l3--l3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 14 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially at the line l4l4 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 15 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially at the line I5--l5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 16 is a vertical sectional view corresponding substantially to the showing of Fig. 12 but showing a modified form of construction; and

Fig. 17 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially at the line Il--ll of Fig. 16.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 15 inclusive, in which corresponding parts are indicated by the same reference characters, 20 indicates a portion of a camera casing at the side of the camera at which the film is mounted and advanced step by step for exposure, the casing being completed by the complementary casing portion 21 of any suitable type. As is best shown in Fig. 4, the casing 20 comprises a side wall portion 22 haviing a partition plate 23 secured adjacent-thereto, a wall portion 24 at the opposite side, a wallwportion 25 in front with a frame plate ZS-secured at its back face, a bottom plate 21 ,asidshown in Fig. 8, and a door 28 hingedly mounted on the body portion of the casing at the rear face portion of the camera. The casing parts provide a light-proof magazine chamber 28 within which a magazine carrier 30 in the form of a drawer is slidably mounted. Th drawer 30 comprises a side wall portion 3|, a front wall portion 32, and a rear wall portion 33, as is best shown in Fig. 3. The side wall portion 3| is provided with top andbottom wall portions 34 and 35 formed integrally therewith, such top and bottom wall portions being provided with longitudinal slots 35 therein engaging screws 31 carried by the top and bottom walls of the camera casing so as to make the carrier slidable back and forth toward and from the front wall portion 25.

' other face.

The front walls 25 and 25 are provided with exposure openings 58 therethrough (see Fig. 8) with a lens structure 88 supported in any suitable manner directly in front of such exposure openings, such lens structure being of any suitable type and supported in any suitable manner. A view finder 58 of any suitable type is mounted on top of the casing portion 2| by any suitable means.

The magazine carrier 38 is of such size and shape as to receive a film magazine snugly into position therein with a shaft 52 at its front face in position to engage an opening in an arm 53 swingingly mounted on the front wall portion 32 of the carrier 88. The arm 58 is pivotally connected at its outer end with a link 55 which is provided at its upper end with a lug or roller 55 (see Fig. 8) in P sition to engage a groove 55 (see Fig. in the inner face of the wall portion 28. The arrangement is such that when the carrier 88 is moved forwardly in the magazine chamber 28 from the position shown in Fig. 4 to the position shown in Fig. 3, the link 55 and arm 55 are moved downwardly for rocking the shaft 52 of the magazine 5| for opening the usual shutter 51 carried bythe magazine 5|, (see, Fig. 63. When the arm 58 is moved downwardly into the position as illustrated in Fig. 7, the film 58 is visible in lieu of the shutter 51 through the exposure openings 58. The magazine 5| with the film and the operating parts therein forms no part of our invention.

At the front face of the magazine chamber 28 a plurality of pins 58 are mounted adapted to engage the magazine for holding it in the desired adjusted position in the camera. Some of the pins 58 engage the front face of the magazine, while others engage pins 5| connected with the operating parts on the interior of the magazine.

In the form of magazine as employed in this camera, the casing of the magazine is provided with an opening at 52 in each of its side faces so as t uncover a pin 53, the opening 52 at one face of the magazine being at one end portion of the magazine and the opening 52 at the opposite face of the magazine being at the opposite end. An opening 55 is also provided in each wall of the magazine so as to provide access to a clutch member 55 of any suitable type to provide for the rotation of the reels within the magazine for appropriate handling of the films 58. The opening 55 in each face is opposite the opening 52 in the The clutch 55 is arranged so as to have operative engagement with a driving member 55 rotatably mounted upon the wall 8| of the carrier 38 (see Fig. 8), such driving member being given rotary movement by a pinion 51 meshing with a gear 58 driven by power from any suitable source. The wall portion 3| is also provided with l a pin or lug 59 in position to engage one of the pins 58, a corresponding lug 58 being mounted on the inner face of the door 28 for engagement with the other of the pins 53 of the magazine. The arrangement is such that when the door 28 stands in its closed position, the lugs 59 and 88 press inwardly upon the pins 53 so as to release the operating mechanism within the magazine 5| for permitting the movement of the film by the driving member 55.

Means is provided for pressing the magazine 5| forwardly Within the carrier 38. This means comprises preferably an arm 5| pivotally mounted upon the rear wall portion 33 of the carrier or drawer 88 (see Fig. 12), such arm being pressed firmly forwardly by a heavy fiat spring 52 as is best shown in Fig. 9. At its upper end, the arm position to engage the rear face portion of the magazine 5| so as to press the magazine strongly forwardly.

In the arrangement shown, the carrier 88 is arranged to be pressed forwardly to its operative position by means actuated by the closure of the door 28. This means comprises arms extending backwardly from the rear wall portion 85 of the carrier, having pins 55 therein engaging cam slots in brackets 51 carried by the door, a set of such cooperating means being provided at both the top and bottom portions of the door 28. The arrangement is such that when the door 25 is moved to its closed position as shownin Fig. 3, the carrier 38 is moved forwardly for bringing the magazine 5| therein into operative position in the camera. When thereafter the door 28 is again moved to its open position, the carrier and the magazine 5| therein are moved backwardly into the position as shown in Fig. 15.

Means is also provided for automatically releasing the magazine 5| from the grip of the carrier when the carrier is moved backwardly to the position as shown in Fig. 4. This means comprises a post 58 extending backwardly from the rear wall portion 33 of the carrier (see Fig. 12), having a sleeve 69 rotatably mounted thereon with an arm 18 rising from the sleeve closely adjacentto the wall portion 33. A spring 1| bears lipon the arm 18 serving normally to hold such arm swung to the limit of its motion toward the partition plate 23, as is best shown in Fig. 8. The arm 18 is provided at its upper end with a. lug 12 extending through an opening the wall 88 so as to be positioned opposite to the side face of the magazine 5| in the carrier. The sleeve 55 is also provided with a pin I3 extending transversely therefrom into position to engage the end of a bearin member 15 in the form of an arm pivotally mounted by means of a pin 15 in a bracket 16 carried, by the rear wall portion of the casing 28. The lower end of the arm I5 is obliquely positioned and stands in position to engage the pin 13 upon the backward movement of the carrier 38. When the pin 18 engages the beveled end of the arm 15 upon a backward movement of the carrier 38 (towards the right in Fig. 12) the arm 15 has a camming action upon the pin so as to force the pin downwardly, serving thus to move the arm 18 and the lug 12 toward the left in Fig. 9 for forcing the magazine 5| out of its gripped engagement with the carrier. As the carrier continues to move rearwardly after the engagement of the pin 13 with the arm 15, the pin 13 is permitted to rise behind the arm 15. Upon the next following forward movement of the carrier, the pin I3 displaces the arm I5 forwardly against the action of a coiled spring 11 normally holding the arm in its rearmost position.

Means is provided for locking the door 25 releasably in its closed position, comprising a slide bolt 18 movably mounted on the door so as to be movable readily into engagement with a lug 19 carried by the side plate 25 of the casing (see Fig. 10). A thumb piece 88 of any suitable type is provided upon the outer face of the door connected with the bolt 18 for manipulating the bolt manually as desired.

Referring now to Figs. 16 and 17, in which a modified form of ejector is illustrated, 8| indicates a shaft rotatably mounted in the rear wall portion of the casing 28, having a crank handle 82 fixedly mounted thereon at the rear face of the camera. At its forward end, the shaft II is provided with a sleeve ll mounted so as to rotate with the shaft but so as to be movable backwardly toward the right in Fig. 16 with respect to the shaft. An arm 04 is mounted upon the sleeve 8!, being provided at its upper end with a lug 85 extending through a suitable opening I! in the rear wall I! of the carrier. A coiled spring I! is mounted upon the shaft 8| having bearings upon the arm 84 and upon the partitionplate 23 so as normally to hold the arm 84 in its forward position upon the shaft BI and also to hold the arm swung to the limit of its motion toward the wall 23. The arrangement is such that when the carrier 30 is-moved backwardly into the position as shown in Fig. 16, the magazine 4| is brought into position opposite to the lug 85. The operator is able then by a stroke of the lever or handle 82 in counter-clockwise direction in Fig. l! to move the lug 85 toward the left in said Fig. 17 against the action of the spring I! for forcing the magazine H at its rear edge portionout of gripping engagement with the carrier ill. The spring 81 serves normally to hold the lug 85 out of the path of movement of the magazine ll. I If, however, the magazine should be brought into engagement with the end of the lug 85, the arm I is adapted to move to the necessary extent rearwardly along the shaft for preventing damage to the parts.

At the rear end portion of the carrier 30, 'a plate 80 is preferably mounted in position for covering the operating mechanism in the rear edge portion of the magazine chamber 29, as is best shown in Fig. 4.

While the form and arrangement of parts as above described are preferred, the invention is not to be limited thereto except so far as the claims may be so limited, it being understood that changes might well be made in the form and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

We claim:

1. In a magazine-type motion picture camera, the combination of a casing having a side door movable into and out of closure position, lens means operatively mounted on said casing, a magazine carrier permanently mounted in position so as to be movable in said casing toward andfrom said lens means, means comprising a spring mounted on said carrier for pressing a magazine firmly forwardly on said carrier, and means actuated by the closure of said door for moving the carrier and the magazine forwardly into operative position with respect to said lens means.

2. In a magazine-type motion picture camera, the combination of a casing having a side door pivotally mounted on the body of the casing, lens means operatively mounted on said casing, a magazine carrier movable in said casing toward and from said lens means, an arm pivotally mounted on said carrier in position to apply pressure forwardly on a magazine in the carrier, a heavy spring normally pressing said arm forwardly for holding the magazine in operative position in the carrier, and means actuated by the closure of said door for moving the carrier and the magazine forwardly into operative ,position with respect to said lens means.

3. In a magazine-type motion picture camera, the combination of a casing having a side door movably mounted on the body of 'the casing, lens large pressure plate on its free end in position to press a magazine forwardly in the carrier, a heavy flat spring bearing on said arm and adapted m lly t press the magazine forwardly into operative position in the carrier, and means actuated by the closure of said door for moving the carrier and the magazine forwardly into operative position with respect to said lens means.

4. -In a magazine-type motion picture camera. the combination of a casing having a side door movable into and out of closure position, lens means operatively mounted on said casing, a magazine carrier movable in said casing toward and from said lens means and adapted in its rearmost position in the casing to receive a magazine into operative position therein, means mounted on said carrier for pressing a magazine firmly forwardly thereon, and cam means carried by said door adapted by engagement with a portion of said carrier when the door is closed to move the carrier and the magazine forwardly into operative position with respect to said lens means.-

5. In a magazine-type motion picture camera, the.combination of a casing having a side door pivotally mounted on the body of the casing, lens means operatively mounted on said casing, a magazine carrier movable in said casing toward and from said lens means, means mounted on said carrier for pressing a magazine firmly forwardly thereon, and a bracket mounted on said door adjacent to the axis-about which the door swings provided with a cam groove adapted by engagement with a pin fixedly mounted on said carrier to move the carrier and the magazine forwardly into operative position with respect to -said lens means when the door is moved to its closure position.

6. In a magazine-type motion picture camera,

the combination of a casing having a side door pivotally mounted on the body of the casing, lens means operatively mounted on said casing, a magazine carrier'in the form of a drawer slidably mounted so as to be movable a short dismeans operatively mounted on said casing, a

magazine carrier movable in said casing toward and from said lens means, an arm pivotally mounted on said carrier having a comparatively tance toward and from said lens means, means connected with said door adapted when the door is moved to closure position to move the drawer forwardly to the limit of its motion and adapted when the door is opened to move the drawer backwardly into position for permitting ready insertion of a magazine into the drawer, and

means mounted on said drawer at its rear edge portion adapted to engage a magazine in the drawer for pressing the magazine forwardly into operative position therein.

7. In a magazine-type motion picture camera, the combination of a casing having a side door pivotally mounted on the body of the casing, lens means operatively mounted on said casing, a magaz ne carrier movable in said casing toward and from said lens means, means mounted on said carrier for pressing a magazine firmly forwardly thereon, means actuated by the closure of the door for moving the carrier and the magazine forwardly into operative position with respect to sa d lens means, and means actuated by the forward movement of the carrier for opening the shutter of said magazine.

8. In a magazine-type motion picture camera, the combination of a casing having a side door pivotally mounted on the body of the casing, lens means operatively mounted on said casing, a magazine carrier movable in said casing toward and from said lens means, means mounted on said carrier for pressing a magazine firmly forwardly thereon, means actuated by the closure of the door for moving the carrier and the magazine lorwardly into operative position with respect to said lens means, and means comprising a era casing adapted upon the movement oi. the carrier forwardly to the limit 01' its motion to open the shutter 01 the magazine.

9. In a magazine-type motion picture camera, the combination of a casing having a side door pivotally mounted on the body of the casing, lens means operatively mounted on said casing, a magazine .carrier movable in said casing toward and from said lens means, means mounted on said carrier for pressing a magazine firmly forwardly thereon, means actuated by the closure of the door for moving the carrier and the magazine forwardly into operative position with respect to said lens means, and means carried by the carrier and said door adapted by operative engagement with the magazine in the carrier when the door is moved to its closure position to apply pressure on the operating means within the magazine for releasing suchoperating means so .cam carried by a portion oi the wall of the cammagazine carrier movable in said casing toward and from said lens means, means mounted on said carrier for pressing a magazine firmly torwardly thereon, means actuated by the closure of the door for moving the carrier and the magszine forwardly into operative position with respect to said lens means, and means comprising a pin carried by the side wall of said carrier and a second pin carried by said door adapted by engagement with pressure openings in the side walls of the magazine to apply pressure on the operating means within the magazine when the door is moved to closure position for releasing such operating means in the magazine so as to permit the film therein to be advanced past said lens means.

- PHILMORE F. SPERRY.

THEODORE S. BRISKIN. 

